The Rose
by Astramina
Summary: And you thought it was all over. Fourth and final chapter added. After Quistis' funeral Seifer confronts Squall and Rinoa and...well...the result isn't a happy one.
1. The Rose - part 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the things which I've written about apart from the folder.   
That was mine but I got rid of it because it kept opening for no reason and really   
pissed me off. I recommend NOT reading this if you are happy because it's quite   
depressing, or if you're already depressed cos it will only make things worse.  
  
  
  
  
The Rose  
  
Another petal fell from the dying rose and landed softly on the mantelpiece where the   
vase stood.  
  
  
She sighed as she watched it fall, allowing the folder on her lap to slip off her knees   
and land on the floor. The clip clicked open as it hit and the papers which Quistis had   
been arranging for the past hour spilled out onto the floor.  
  
  
Quistis sighed again, surveying her folder tiredly. She closed her eyes but all she saw   
was his back as he walked away from her forever. The rose in the hand of his true   
love.  
  
  
A transfer, Quistis thought, a wave of anger surging through her body. She kicked the   
folder furiously, causing the papers to spread themselves further across the floor of   
her small and uncomfortably new instructors quarters at Trabia Garden.  
  
  
After defeating Ultimecia Quistis had been given her instructors license back but then   
cruelly transferred to Trabia, tossed aside by Balamb Gardens new headmaster. But   
she still loved him.  
  
  
The rose had been on his desk when he called her in. She thought it was for her. Her   
eyes constantly darted to look at the rose as he spoke. She waited for 15 minutes for   
him to give it to her. Then he stood and opened the door for her to leave.  
  
  
In the hall outside his office Rinoa was waiting for him. Quistis remembered the way   
his eyes lit up when he saw her and the way she smiled when he handed her the rose   
and kissed her so tenderly. Then he turned with Rinoa in his arms and walked into his   
office.   
  
  
That was the last time Quistis saw Squall.  
  
  
The rose came into her possession by chance. As a symbol of his love, Quistis wasn't   
surprised when she saw Rinoa throwing it out with the rubbish two days later, the day   
Quistis left for Trabia.   
  
  
"Even though she will throw you away after a while, I will love you until you die, and   
keep you forever." she had whispered as she picked the rose lovingly out of the bin,   
brushing pencil shavings off its petals, and took it with her to Trabia. Happy, though   
she would never see him again, she knew she would always have his love. A love   
given to someone else.  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
Quistis had time off. The last petal of her rose fell. She caught it before it hit the   
mantelpiece, raised it to her face and breathed in it's fading scent. To her it was still   
there, still as strong. She brushed the curled edge of the petal with her lips and tucked   
it inside her pocket.  
  
  
She was ready to go.  
  
  
On her way to the door she paused for a moment by her whip, hanging on the corner   
of a chair.  
  
  
"I won't need you today," she said to it softly, "there's no need to fight today."  
  
  
She left.  
  
  
Outside the Garden, Quistis followed her favourite path through the snowy fields to   
the warmer, grassier plains to the south, and then into the forest.  
  
  
In the shade of the trees, Quistis looked out over the fields. Flowers were starting to   
bloom again after the cold winter, even more beautifully than last year. She felt as if   
she could stay there forever.  
  
  
"But there's no point in that," she said to herself, trying to sound cheerful. "I was born   
for a reason. Ultimecia is dead now, and so is his love." Quistis pulled the petal out of   
her pocket, "so, I have no more reason to live."  
  
  
Quistis smiled at the frail petal in her hand, then closed her hand over it tightly,   
holding it to her heart. In her mind she focused on the spell. The final spell she would   
cast.  
  
  
Smiling to herself as a picture of Squall came into focus in her mind, Quistis clasped   
the rose petal tighter in her hand. His face faded from her view forever, and Quistis   
breathed out slowly, the last breath she would ever take.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
by Astramina. 


	2. The Rose - part 2

Disclaimer: This is a second part to 'The Rose'. I still don't own Final Fantasy 8.  
  
  
  
The Rose  
Part 2  
  
  
  
  
The quiet, repetitive beeping of the infirmary equipment crowding the small room   
wouldn't stop. The lone renegade was happy. He had noticed Quistis walking out of   
Trabia. She had looked so sad, but determined. He had called her name but she had   
either not heard, or had ignored him. He started after her, but once she had left Trabia,   
he had lost her.  
  
  
Seifer remembered the time Quistis had smiled at him. In Balamb. She had been so   
happy until the headmaster of the Garden had transferred her. After that, she had   
rarely laughed and always seemed vacant, as if her mind was a mile away.   
  
  
He had fallen for her on that day. She had told him how peaceful the forest made her   
feel. How she would have loved to stay there. Forever.  
  
  
After Ultimecia was defeated there was no place for the renegade in Garden, not after   
what he'd done. So, not wasting his years of training and taking Quistis' advice,   
Seifer became the first Renegade SeeD. Quistis had told him that if he found no   
reason to live for himself, he should live to help others.  
  
  
Hypocrite... Seifer thought, watching the thin red line rise and fall with each   
monotonous beep. Why couldn't you live for me?  
  
  
Seeing her had reminded him of the forest, which was where he had found her.  
  
  
Quistis moved. Only slightly. But Seifer stood, instinctively. He moved closer to the   
bed and leant his face closer to hers. Hesitating, he placed his hand on Quistis'   
forehead. She moved again, her head falling to the side, and Seifer withdrew his hand,   
watching her eyes open weakly.  
  
  
'I always knew you'd be my angel when I died.' Quistis whispered. Seifer didn't   
notice as her hand slipped out of the other side of the bed and brushed the wires   
attaching her to the heart monitor.  
  
  
'I'll take care of you, Quistis.' Seifer whispered back. Quistis closed her hand around   
a clump of wires. Admiring the affection in Seifers voice despite the hardened lines   
on his face, Quistis sighed and closed her eyes. She felt a warm softness on her lips   
and opened her eyes to watch the renegades blond head move away from her.  
  
  
Quistis opened her mouth to speak, but she had so many things to say, all that came   
out was another sigh. She closed her hand tighter around the wires.  
  
  
'I'm sorry, Seifer.' she managed to say, 'My heart's died inside. My body can't help   
but follow.'  
  
  
Seifer frowned, confused. Without warning, Quistis gathered the remains of her   
strength and pulled the wires in her hand, across her body. They snapped out of the   
heart monitor and the force of them snapping caused Quistis to roll out of the bed.   
  
  
Seifer was too slow, moving to catch her, and she hit the floor hard. A continuous,   
harsh tone replaced the beeps, making them seem lively. The room was suddenly   
filled with white coated doctors shuffling and scraping through the shrill siren.  
  
  
Seifer felt himself fill with anger. Shoving someone out of the way, he pulled up   
Quistis' limp body and placed her on the bed.  
  
  
The siren cut out.   
  
  
Silence filled the empty room.  
  
  
And all that was left was the hunched form of a renegade, torn apart by his rose.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
by Astramina 


	3. The Rose - part 3

Disclaimer: The story's getting more depressing. Sorry. And I don't own Final Fantasy 8, as much as I would like to.  
  
  
  
  
The Rose  
part 3  
  
  
  
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to mourn the passing of a dear friend and a   
capable instructor..."  
  
  
'Shut up.' Seifer thought, standing in the shadows of a willow tree. In front of him sat   
rows of people dressed in black. Some were crying. A priest standing against the   
backdrop of a clear blue lake, rippling softly in the gentle breeze, was talking with a   
low, mourning voice. Between the lake and the row of neatly pruned willow trees   
under which Seifer stood, stretched a grassy bank dotted with black-clad people.   
  
  
Seifer leaned back against the trunk of the Willow, not paying attention to the priest   
or anyone else in the cemetery gardens. He couldn't shake the picture of her from his   
mind, how she had lay there in his arms. So still, so lifeless. And yet, so beautiful.  
  
  
'If only I had let her know I cared.' Seifer thought sadly. He squeezed his eyes shut   
and pounded a clenched fist back into the willow. The tree swayed from the impact.   
He watched the sermon carry on. 'You know nothing about her.' Seifer glared at the   
priest leading the ceremony, 'No-one knew anything about her. The only one she let   
get close was...'  
  
  
Seifer shifted his gaze to the long black haired girl sitting in the front row. 'But you   
took it away from her' Seifers hand rested on his Gunblades hilt.  
  
  
Seifer didn't know who to hate more.  
  
  
He thought back to all the times when he had had to restrain himself from lashing out   
at Squall or Rinoa. They were so obvious. Had they known they were hurting her so   
much?  
  
  
At the Garden Festival, almost two months after defeating Ultimecia, after two   
months as a renegade, Seifer had returned to Garden to see her again. He had seen   
her, but he had only seen her pining over Squall. That was when Squall had   
announced his engagement to Rinoa.  
  
  
It had broken Quistis. As he comforted her on the balcony in the forbidden area, she   
had sworn to him that she would forget about Squall. But he had known that her   
brave words had only been put on for him. And now he knew how hard it had been   
for her, to say goodbye to the one you love.  
  
  
A new wave of anger surged through him. Seifer drew his Gunblade suddenly and   
slashed it out in front of him. Some of the dangling leaves dropped from the willow.   
Seifer raised his Gunblade, holding his arm out in front of him, the site aimed at the   
head of the Gardens newest headmaster.  
  
  
Some people stood, having seen the priests shocked looks and hearing the snap of the   
willow. More people stood, shocked and muttering with fear at Seifers attacking   
stance.  
  
  
Squall stood and faced Seifer. Seeing the hate and burning anger in Seifers eyes,   
Squall spread his arms out in surrender.  
  
  
Fighting the urge to refresh the fading scar across the boys forehead, Seifer put his   
Gunblade away and with one last glare, left the cemetery gardens.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
by Astramina. 


	4. The Rose - part 4

Disclaimer: And you thought it was over. I still don't own Ff8.  
  
  
  
  
The Rose  
part 4  
  
  
  
Squall sat in his office on the top floor of Garden, staring into a cold cup of coffee, and   
sighed. His instructor was dead. After years of taking her for granted, the smiles she always   
gave him, her mature and understanding personality.  
  
  
He remembered Seifer at the funeral. Squall had been surprised to see him there but he, like   
the rest of Garden, knew how Seifer felt about Quistis so it was obvious that Seifer would be   
there.  
  
  
And the way he looked at me, Squall thought, like it was my fault.  
  
  
Squall heard the ping of the lift and wondered who it could be. He heard muffled noises   
coming from the hall and pulled some papers out of his desk drawer to make it look like he   
was busy. He didn't think he could handle anyone. Not so soon after this tragedy.  
  
  
He waited for the knock to sound on his door. Nothing.  
  
  
Suddenly the door flew open with a crash. The wood cracked at the hinges and splintered,   
causing the door to fall forwards.   
  
  
In the doorway stood Seifer. His gunblade in one hand and a handful of black hair in his   
other. He reached down roughly and pulled up a body from the floor. Steadying herself, Rinoa   
tried to run to Squall, who stood, horrified, as Seifer kicked out with his foot and sent Rinoa   
crashing to the floor.  
  
  
"Rinoa!" Squall called, running around his desk to her body, sprawled on the floor. Her lip   
and forehead were bleeding and she had a bruise around one of her eyes. Helping her up,   
Squall saw that half of her hair was short and tatty, matted with blood.  
  
  
Seifer threw the hair in his hand at Squall and spat.  
  
  
"She isn't worth it, Squall." He leered. Squall looked at Rinoa who was crying.  
  
  
"What are you doing, Seifer?" He demanded, stepping in front of Rinoa.  
  
  
"I thought I'd show you what it's like, to watch the love of your life die in your arms." Seifer   
growled at Squall. He pushed Squall to the side and pulled Rinoa up again, touching the point   
of his gunblade to her throat.  
  
  
"Seifer, DON'T." Squall yelled. Rinoa wriggled in Seifers grip and he pressed the blade   
further onto her throat.  
  
  
"Besides, you were the ones who killed her." Seifer snarled. Squall stepped toward forwards.  
  
  
"Seifer, this is crazy. I know you loved Quistis but you can't blame us for her death." Squall   
reasoned frantically, "She chose to die, Seifer. Maybe if you'd told her how you felt, she   
wouldn't have made that choice."  
  
  
Seifer sighed and loosened his grip on Rinoa.  
  
  
"Maybe you're right." He said lowering the gunblade away from Rinoas throat. Squall   
stepped back. Seifer let go of Rinoa and she stumbled towards Squall. Seifer raised his   
gunblade at Rinoas back and pulled the trigger.  
  
  
The shot rang out in the silent Garden.  
  
  
Rinoas faced creased with pain and she fell forwards. Squall caught her in his arms.  
  
  
"Didn't you think I'd have thought of that?!?" Seifer yelled at Squall and watched the boy   
stroke Rinoas hair and talk to her quietly.   
  
  
"It'll be OK, Rinoa. It's OK." A tear rolled off his cheek and landed in the pool of blood on   
his office floor.   
  
  
  
"Didn't you think that maybe that was the only thing I'd thought about since she died, Squall.   
You never even realised that she loved you. You deserve this."  
  
  
Squall held Rinoa up and kissed her blood stained cheek. She opened her mouth and tried to   
say something but no words came out. Her eyelids fell shut and her head fell back in Squalls   
arms, lifeless.  
  
  
"No!" Squall cried, holding Rinoas body tight. All he could hear was Seifer behind him,   
laughing coldly. Shut up, he thought, shut up! Squall stood, faced Seifer and drew his own   
gunblade, pointing it at Seifers chest.  
  
  
"Oh, no." Seifer mocked. "Poor little baby face is gonna' shoot me."  
  
  
"Get out, Seifer." Squall growled at him.  
  
  
"Why? It's not like she loved you. She made me all sorts of offers in exchange for her life."   
Seifer grinned at Squall, "She wasn't that good, either."   
  
  
Seifer laughed cruelly. Squall pulled the trigger. The bullet lodged itself in Seifers shoulder.   
Seifer laughed again.  
  
  
"What's the matter? Does the truth hurt? Face it Squall," Seifer winced and clutched his   
shoulder, "She was nothing but a little tart anyway."  
  
  
"No!" Squall cried. He raised the gunblade and charged at Seifer. The gunblade pierced   
Seifers chest and the boy coughed up blood, spitting it in Squalls face. Squall wiped his face   
and pushed the gunblade deeper into Seifers chest.   
  
  
Seifer blew Squall a kiss. "She wanted me to give you that."  
  
  
Squall withdrew his gunblade and stepped back from Seifer. Blood gushed from the boys   
chest and he clutched his chest in agony.  
  
  
"Rinoa did love me." Squall said defiantly, "But Quistis never even looked at you. SHE loved   
me too." Squall grinned. Seifer growled at him.  
  
  
"At least I can be with her now." Seifer lowered himself to one knee, pain flowed through his   
body, "And I'll be with Rinoa too. Think..." He coughed up more blood, "Think what fun   
we'll have...thanks."   
  
  
Seifer laughed viciously and with his last strength, lunged himself towards Rinoas body and   
reached out a hand as a last insult. He collapsed onto the office floor, his hand landing on one   
of Rinoas breasts.  
  
  
Squall growled at Seifers limp body and jumped forwards, kicking his hand off Rinoa. He   
kicked Seifer again and again until he only had enough energy to fall next to Rinoas body and   
cry.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
by Astramina 


End file.
